Indenting and stitch-separating machine.



L. A. CASGRAIN. INDENTING AND STITCH SEPARATING MACHINE. APPLICATIONFILED MAY 4, 1908.

1 ,'O47,382. Patented Dec. 17, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

l/l/km/fssasi 1H L. A. OASGRAIN. INDENTING AND STITCH SEPAEATINGMAGHINB.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, '1908.

Patented Dec. 17, 1912.

2 SHEETS-$131351 Z.

UNIED STATES PATENT LOUIS A. CASGRAIN, OF BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS,ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, ACORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

INDEN'TING AND STITGI-I-SEPARATING MACHINE.

Application filed May 4, 1908.

To oZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS A. GASGRAIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Beverly, in the county of Essex and Commonwealth ofMassachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Indenting andStitch-Separating Machines, of which the following description, inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, likereference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in theseveral figures.

This invention relates to machines intended primarily for indenting theupper side of that portion of the welt or sole of a boot or shoe whichprojects beyond the upper and extends around the forepart. In the usualMcKay shoe such indentations are formed in the outer or tap sole whilein a Goodyear or McKay welt shoe they are formed in the welt. However,the welt may be considered as a part of the outer sole of a Goodyear orMcKay welt shoe for the purpose of the present application, andtherefore, to avoid unnecessary repetition, where the operation ofindenting a sole is hereinafter referred to, it is to be understood asincluding also the indenting of a welt. For those McKay shoes which haveno stitches in the projecting portion of the sole and for those Goodyearshoes in which the stitches are sunk in a channel in the upper side ofthe welt, the machine of the present invention may be used to formimpression or imitation stitches, but the machine is capable also ofseparating stitches. It may be employed also in connection with awheeling machine, which forms or partially forms impression stitches,either to complete the shaping of the indentations, formed by such amachine, or to burnish the walls of such indentations.

inasmuch as the operation of indenting, above described, is commonlyperformed after the shoe is lasted and usually near the end of theseries of operations involved in the manufacture of the shoe, it isparticularly necessary to avoid injuring the upper by allowing theindenting tool or tools to contact therewith. There is considerabledanger of so injuring the upper where it projects to a considerableextent over the portion of the sole to be indented. It is desirable,however, to have the indentations extend as nearly as possible to theupper.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 17, 1912.

Serial No. 430,851.

While it is contemplated that a single tool might be employed, it isdeemed preferable to provide a plurality of tools arranged in a rotarycarrier approximately in a circle. With such a construction theproportions of the parts may be such that several of the tools shall bein engagement with the solo at the same time.

It is recognized as desirable in machines of this character to form eachindentation by a plurality of actions of the indenting tool. It is alsodesirable to cause the indenting tool while under pressure and inengagement with the work to be moved relatively to the work either inthe direction of feed or transversely thereto, longitudinally of anindentation, for the purpose of burnishing the indentation or forshaping its sides. The machine here described and illustrated asembodying the present invention in its preferred form is provided withmeans for obtaining these several movements.

While, in so far as certain features of the invention are concerned, thepressure exerted upon the work by the tool might be produced throughsprings or any other means for exerting a substantially uniformpressure, yet preferably, the tool is subjected to a rapid succession ofblows or to a succession of percussional impulses of high frequency forthe reason that an indentation formed in this way will be sharper andmore uniform in shape, will be smoother and more highly burnished andwill require less pressure for its production than if formed in someother known manner.

Accordingly, one feature of the present invention comprises theprovision of an indenting tool movable in the direction of its lengthtransversely of the sole of a shoe and means for delivering to said toola rapid succession of blows in a direction approximately perpendicularto the sole.

Another feature of the invention comprises the provision in a machine,in which the indenting tool is movable not only toward and from theprojecting margin of the sole but also movable in and out transverselyof the sole, of a guard located adjacent to the acting end of theindenting tool to protect the upper, said guard having its lower portionprojecting outwardly so that it may extend under an overhanging upper.Preferably, the guard engages the indenting tool near its acting end andthroughthe guard pressure is exerted upon the tool for indenting thework.

Obviously, in the use of a machine embodying these novel features ofconstruction, the tool during the indenting operation may extend closeto .the upper Without danger of injuring it. Moreover, the machineillustrated is provided with means for vibrating the tool or toolsrapidly in the direction of the feed. Where the means above referred tofor moving the tool in and out is provided, this vibration in thedirection of feed is also accompanied by a slight vibration of the toolalong the indentations. It is the custom to form indentations betweenthe stitches upon the upper side of the welt of a Goodyear shoe so as tomake the stitches stand out more prominently and to give an ornamentalappearance to this portion of the shoe. This operation is commonly knownas stitch separating. In order that a machine may do satisfactory workas a stitch separator, provision must be made for the irregularitieswhich always occur in the length of stitch, not only upon differentshoes but also upon the same shoe.

The features of the invention already explained are applicable not onlyto a machine for acting upon a substantially plane surface to formindentations therein or for burnishing or finishing the shaping ofuniformly spaced indentations already wholly or partially formed butalso to a machine for acting upon indentations not uniformly spaced andparticularly for separating stitches.

The machine illustrated in the accompanying drawings is especiallyadapted for separating stitches and, when the machine is to do this kindof work, it is preferably provided with a plurality of tools adapted toact upon successive stitches and, in order, to provide for variations inlength of stitch, the tools are supported so as to be capable ofmovement toward and from each other, thus facilitating the locating orfinding of each stitch by one of the tools.

Where the machine is used only for forming indentations on a planesurface such capacity of the tools for independent movement isunnecessary but on the other hand, it is desirable when the machine isused for separating stitches not only to provide for an independentmovement of the indenting tools but also to give to them the vibratorymovement in the direction of feed above mentioned since this movementassists considerably in the finding or locating of the stitches.Preferably the tools are mounted loosely in a tool carrier constructedand ar ranged to be rotated by the work, as it is fed, to bring thetools in succession automatically into successive stitch intervals.

In order to provide for a wide variation I in the length of stitch, itmay be advantageous to employ an auxiliary device for 10- cating eachtool approximately in correct position just before it enters a stitchinterval. Accordingly, in the particular machine hereinafter described,such an auxiliary device is provided in the form of a toothed wheel orequivalent device which will hold a tool just entering a stitch intervalat a distance, variable within certain limits, from the preceding andthe following tools.

In addition to the features above specifically referred to, theinvention comprises also certain other combinations, arrangements ofparts and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view partly inside elevation and partly in section of the working parts and head of amachine embodying the invention in its preferred form, a portion of ashoe, the sole of which is to be indented, being indicated in dottedlines; Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation with some of the parts shownin section; Fig. 8 is a perspective view in which is shown in section aportion of a shoe being acted upon; Fig. 1 is a perspective view fromthe rear of the tool carrier and certain other parts adjacent thereto;Fig. 5 is a view in front elevation of the tool carrier, chiefly, with apart of its cover broken away; Fig. 6 is a detail view upon a largescale showing some of the indenting tools and their relation to work tobe indented, one

posit-ion of the tools being shown by full and one by dotted lines; Fig.7 is a detail view of the indenting tools, and Fig. 8 is a view in frontelevation showing a modified form of the device for assisting inpositioning the tools.

In the accompanying drawings, the present invention is shown as embodiedin a machine having many of the characteristic features of applicantsprior Patent No. 768,560, dated August 23, 1904. Thus the frames forsupporting the working parts, the devices for delivering blows to thetool carrier, and the means for actuating the work support are or may besubstantially like the corresponding parts shown in that patent. Thework support itself, however, and the means for rotating it to feed thework, as shown, are substantially like the corresponding parts describedin Canadian Patent No. 131,174, dated February 21, 1911, and GermanPatent No. 200,392, dated November 27, 1906. The specific form of theseparts is not material to the present invention but they will bedescribed briefly in order to make clear the operation of the entiremachine.

The machine illustrated comprises a main frame 2 to which is pivoted anarm 1 controlled in position vertically through a connecting rod 6 bymechanism substantially like that fully disclosed in the patent mentioned. At the forward end of this arm 4 is mounted an angularlyadjustable block 8 in which is rotatably mounted the work support ortable 10 provided at its periphery with a gear 12. The work support isrotated through gears 12, 14, 16, vertical shaft 18, worm wheel 20, andworm 22 upon main shaft 24 in substantially the same manner as in theapplication above referred to. Upon the front end of shaft 24 is carrieda rotary hammer 26 provided with a series of blowdelivering rolls 28arranged to act upon the upper end of the tool carrier 30 which ismounted so as to be capable of moving substantially vertically. Thecarrier is provided with an opening 32 to receive a supporting pin 34.As in the patent mentioned, when the tool carrier is permitted todescend to its lowest position, corresponding to that shown in Fig. 2,it is supported by pin 34 with its upper end out of the path of rotationof the rolls 28, but, when work is inserted in the machine, the toolcarrier is raised so that the rolls will deliver to the carrier a rapidsuccession of blows during the rotation of shaft 24 at high speed. Thelower end of the tool carrier 30 is formed with a boss or barrel 38 tothe front face of which is secured a cover 40 by screws 42.Concentrically arranged within the barrel is a spider 44, thecircumferential surface of which is provided with a series of ribs 46alternating with grooves 47. The rear side of the cover is provided witha boss 48 which enters a cylindrical recess 49 in the forward end of thespider, serving as a journal and support therefor. Extending from therear side of this spider is a stud 50 journaled in the rear end of thebarrel 38. Surrounding stud 50 is a block 52 the rear side of which issubstantially flush with the rear end of stud 50. A washer 54 and screw56 serve to hold parts 38, 44 and 52 together with sufficient play topermit relative rotary movement, a spring washer 57 or other equivalentdevice being interposed between the rear side of the spider and theadjacent surface of barrel 38 to hold the spider frictionally againstaccidental rotation. The block 52 is provided with a recess 58 (Fig. 4)open toward stud 50 and having an inclined surface 60 forming with thecircumference of stud 50 a tapering space within which is located aspring pressed roll 62, constituting a well known form of roll clutch.The lower end of block 52 is connected to the stationary frame of themachine by a rod 64 the outer inturned end of which may be placed in anyone of a series of holes 66 in the frame, for a purpose to be described.

The indenting tools 70, 7 2 have their lower edges 74 of any suitableshape to form the desired indentation in the work. As shown in Figs. 6and 7, the tools 70 are wider than the tools 72 in the direction oftheir height and are seated at their inner edges in the inner ends ofgrooves 47 while the narrow tools 72 rest against the outer ends of ribs46. If the machine is to be used only for imitating stitches or foracting upon a plane surface, the tools 70, 72 may be mad-e integral withthe spider 44 or they may be rigidly secured thereto. Moreover, sincethe indentations in such case should ordinarily be equally spaced, thesetools even although they are given the in and out movement hereinbef'orementioned should preferably be arranged, as by fitting closely in thegrooves 47, so as to have no movement with relation to each other in theline of feed. The machine as illustrated, however, is ca pable ofseparating stitches, the lengths of which vary within certain limits.Therefore, each of the tools 7 O, 72 is mounted in such a manner that itis capable of independent movement with reference to all of the othertools. As clearly indicated in Fig. 6, the grooves 47 are tapered sothat their walls do not engage the sides of tools 70 but permit alimited movement of the tools in the line of feed. The tools 72 arelikewise capable of independent movement. The shape and number of thetools and particularly the amount of play provided between the tools andribs 46 will be determined according to the desired range of variationin the length of stitch. Each tool is provided with a lug or tail 76fitting a guiding groove 78 formed in the inner circumference of thebarrel 38. As shown in Fig. 1, this groove is of such shape that as thespider 44 is rotated either by the roll clutch 62 or by the rotation ofwork support 10- acting through the work and the tools upon the spider,as will be further explained, the tools will be moved in and out as theytravel progressively along the groove. The lower portion of the grooveinclines forwardly at a comparatively sharp pitch so that as the toolsapproach the work they are projected forwardly in order that theindentations to be formed upon the sole of the shoe may extend close tothe upper. As each tool leaves the sole it will be drawn inwardlyquickly so that it cannot strike the upper which may overhang theindented portion of the sole.

Each tool is provided near its forward end with a surface 80 which isengaged by a corresponding circumferential surface of the cover 40, asshown in Fig. 1, so that the blows imparted to the tool carrier aretransmitted to the tools in engagement with the work both through thecover 40 and through the spider 44. As an additional protection for theupper, the lower side of the cover is preferably extended, as at 82,over the ends of the tools to serve as a guard. The hammer head 26 isprovided with a circumferential surface 86 slightly eccentric to theaxis of shaft 24. Fitting this surface is an eccentric strap 88 providedwith a lug 90 to which is pivoted at 92 a connecting member 94adjustably secured by a screw 96 to a guide block 98 through which thetool carrier 30 is caused to reciprocate as already mentioned. The guide98 is provided with a rearwardly extending stud 100 pivoted in the mainframe and hence the retation of the hammer head 26 acting through theeccentric strap 88 and the conneetions just described, effects avibration of the tool carrier 80 about its axis thus causing the toolsto vibrate in the line of the feed of the work. The extent of vibrationmay be varied, if desired, by adjustment of screw 96 along the slot inguide block 98, thus varying the distance from pivot stud 100 at whichthe definite motion imparted by the eccentric 86 is imparted to theguide block.

It may be desired to provide additional means for locating each toolapproximately in proper position as it is about to enter a stitchinterval. Two forms of locating device for this purpose are illustrated.As shown particularly in Figs. 5 and 6 a toothed wheel 104 with itsteeth-having a pitch equal approximately to the average length of stitchis mounted to rotate freely upon a stud 106 projecting from an arm 108secured to the forward end of a short shaft 110 supported and capable ofturning in a boss 112 at the lower end of an arm 114 rigidly secured tothe frame of the machine. A light spring 116, connected at one end to apin 118 projecting from arm 114 and at the other to a pin 120 secured toshaft 110, tends to maintain wheel 104 yieldingly in highest positionwhich will be determined by an adjustable stop 121 or by the contact ofthe wheel with the edges 74 of tools 70, 72. Preferably this wheel willbe so located that its stud 106 will be in a line passing through theaxis of spider 44 and between the ends 74 of that tool which is about toenter a stitch interval and the preceding tool, the arrangement beingsuch that just before a tool enters the interval it will enter one ofthe spaces of the toothed wheel, the adjacent teeth of which willproject between the said tool and those lying next it and thus each toolwill be positioned at approximately the length of a stitch from thepreceding too-l as it enters an interval. As shown in Fig. 8, instead ofthe wheel 104, teeth 122 may be provided at the end of an arm 124corresponding to arm 108. ,Such a locating device will not always berequired but it has been found useful in some classes of work to insureagainst any skipping of stitch intervals by the tool and it may beemployed to obtain uniformity in the spacing of the indentations in casesuch independently movable tools are used for making imitation stitches.

As shown in Fig. 4, an adjustable wedge 111 is interposed between thelower end of guide 98 and barrel 38, being secured to the barrel byscrews 113. The adjustment of this wedge controls the extent to whichthe tool carrier may be raised and thereby determines the effect of theblows of the hammer by regulating the reciprocating movement of the toolcarrier and tools.

The operation of the machine can be readily understood from' theforegoing description but it will be briefly summarized as follows: Themain shaft 24 may be continuously rotated, if desired. The shoe, thesole of which is to be indented, having been placed upon the work table10, the latter is raised to bring the upper end of the tool carrier 30into the path of the rolls 28 at which time the parts will have thepositions indicated in Fig. 1. The rotation of table 10 in the directionof the arrow, Fig. 3, will cause a'progressive feeding of the shoe,which will be guided, so far as is necessary, by the workman. The spider44, carrying the tools 70, 72, will be actuated by the roll clutch 62 torotate the too-ls, which are in engagement with the work, in thedirection of the feed of the work at the time that the tool carrier isoscillated by eccentric 86 in the direction opposite to that in whichthe work is fed, but the rate of movement imparted to the ends of thetools in the direction of feed by the clutch is preferably slightly lessthan, and certainly not in excess of, the speed at which the work is fedby the rotation of the work table, for it is intended that the movementof the spider effected through the work will be greater at all timesthan that produced by the clutch. This clutch therefore is merely anauxiliary feeding device which in some cases may be omitted, since it isintended that the rate of rotation of the spider 44 and of the toolscarried thereby shall be determined by the speed at which the work isfed. It will be noted that, to this end, the tools and spider are alwaysfree to rotate independent of the clutch in a righthanded direction asindicated by the arrows in Figs. 5 and 6.

The manner in which the tools will successively locate the stitchintervals will be explained by reference particularly to Fig. 6 in whichthe tool at the right is represented as having just entered a stitchinterval but has not yet reached the deepest part of the interval. Itwill be noted that, as the locating wheel 104 is rotated by the forwardmovement of the tools the play between the sides of a tool, and thesides of the teeth of the wheel 104, between which it is at the momentlocated, will increase according to its distance from the line joiningthe axes of spider 4:4: and stud 106 so that the tools will not only becapable of moving independently in the spider, as above explained, butneither will the engagement of the teeth of wheel 104: with thepreceding tools prevent the tool just entering a stitch interval frommoving relatively to such other tools. Hence as the entering tool, shownat the right in Fig. 6, descends by reason of the continued rotation ofthe spider 44, its edge 74 will slide off the crown of the stitch intothe deepest part of the space between the stitches. The amount of playbetween the tools and the teeth of wheel 104 may be regulated byadjusted stop 121. In this manner each tool will be located at thedeepest part of the stitch interval as it approaches the vertical planethrough the center of the spider 44. The back and forward movement ofthe tools in the line of feed, which is effected by the eccentric 86,facilitates the finding of the stitch interval by the tool, as aboveexplained. As the tools approach the vertical plane through the centerof the spider they will receive the full force of the blows imparted tothe tool carrier 30 by the hammer 26. These blows are of such highfrequency that each tool will receive a large number of percussionalimpulses while in engagement with an indentation. It is to be noted alsothat there is a rubbing action of the tool upon the stitch intervalsboth on account of the oscillation in the line of feed and also onaccount of the slight in and out ,movement caused by groove 7 8 while atool is in engagement with a stitch interval. The oscillation of thetools in the line of feed and the change in their inclination while theyare in engagement with the intervals results in a shaping or rounding ofthe crowns of the stitches.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a machine of the classdescribed, an indenting tool movable in the direction of its lengthtransversely of the sole of a shoe and means for delivering a rapidsuccession of blows to said tool in a direction approximatelyperpendicular to the sole to cause the tool to indent the sole.

2. In a machine of the class described, a rotary carrier, a plurality ofindenting tools rotatable with said carrierbut also movableindependently of each other in and out transversely of the sole of ashoe and means for delivering a rapid succession of blows to said toolsin a direction approximately perpendicular to the shoe.

3. In a machine of the class described, a tool movable toward and fromthe projecting margin of the sole of a shoe for forming indentationstherein and also movable in and out transversely of the sole, incombination with a guard adjacent the acting end of the tool to protectthe upper and having its lower portion projecting outwardly so that itmay extend under an overhanging upper.

at. In a machine of the class described, a

tool having a pointed end and movable to indent the projecting margin ofthe sole of a shoe and also movable in and out transversely of the solein combination with a guard constructed and arranged to ma1ntain theupper of the shoe out of engage ment with the tool, the guard having itslower portion projecting outwardly so that it may extend under anoverhanging upper.

5. In a machine of the class described, atool movable to indent theprojecting margin of the sole of a shoe, and means engaging the toolnear its forward end through which pressure is exerted upon the tool forindenting the sole.

6. In a machine of the class described, a rotary carrier, a toolprojecting from the face of the carrier and an abut-ment engaging thetool near its projecting end through which pressure is exerted upon thetool for indenting the work.

7. In a machine of the class described, a tool carrier, a plurality ofindenting tools loosely supported in the carrier and capable of movementtoward and from each other, said carrier being constructed and arrangedto be rotated by the work as it is fed to bring the tools in successionautomatically into successive stitch intervals.

8. In a machine of the class described, a plurality of indenting toolsand means for moving them to and fro in the line of feed approximatelyparallel to the surface of the work, said tools being capable ofrelative movement whereby they will automatically locate and enter thestitch intervals as the work is progressively presented to them.

9. In a machine of the class described, a rotary tool carrier, aplurality of indenting tools loosely supported in the carrier and meansfor delivering a rapid succession of blows to said tools to cause themto indent the work.

10. In a machine of the class described, a plurality of indenting tools,means for delivering a rapid succession of blows to said tools to causethem to indent the work, and means for vibrating said tools while inengagement with the work approximately in the plane of the work.

11. In a machine of the class described, a plurality of indenting toolsconstructed and arranged to vibrate approximately in the plane of thework both in the line of feed and transversely thereto.

12. In a machine of the class described, a plurality of indenting toolsmovable relatively to each other for locating stitch inter vals, andmeans constructed and arranged to act upon each tool to place itapproximately in correct position as it is about to enter an interval.

13. In a machine of the class described, a rotary carrier, means forindenting the work mounted in the carrier, work-feeding meanscontinuously acting through the work to rotate said carrier, and anauxiliary intermittently-acting feeding and locking device for saidcarrier.

14'.- In a machine of the class described, a rotary slotted spider, acasing around the spider, a plurality of indenting tools be tween thespider and the casing, said tools being loosely connected with thespider but 15 movable with it, and means for exerting pressure upon thetools for indenting the work. I

15. A stitch separating device, comprising a slotted spider, a pluralityof tools projecting beyond the periphery of the spider, some of whichare loosely carried in the slots of the spider, and means formaintaining the tools in proper relation to the spider.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

LOUIS A. CASGRAIN. Witnesses:

FREDERICK L. EDMANDS, ANNA C. BRIER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

